, PLS1502 Assignment 3 (COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 2 2025 – DUE 2025; 100% correct solutions
and explanations.
2 ESSAYS PROVIDED FOR BOTH OPTION A AND B
OPTION A
The Politics of Definition: Why African Philosophy is “Highly
Coded”
Introduction
The debate surrounding the definition of African philosophy remains
one of the most contested questions in contemporary thought. Samuel E.
Imbo (1998) argues that the definition of African philosophy is “highly
coded,” suggesting that the question of definition is never neutral but is
entangled in power relations, cultural assumptions, and intellectual
politics. To define African philosophy is therefore not only to set its
boundaries but also to reveal who has the authority to define knowledge,
whose worldview is legitimised, and whose is marginalised. This essay
discusses why Imbo believes the definition of African philosophy is
highly coded, beginning with how African philosophy is defined in his
text. It further considers the politics and assumptions embedded in such
definitions, the impact of European rationality’s claim to universality,
and whether African philosophy should continue to concern itself with
definitional politics.
Defining African Philosophy in Imbo’s Text
Imbo begins with the recognition that philosophy, broadly understood, is
the critical and systematic reflection on human existence, truth, and
values. Yet, when prefixed with “African,” the definition becomes
contested. He outlines various approaches to African philosophy,
Semester 2 2025 – DUE 2025; 100% correct solutions
and explanations.
2 ESSAYS PROVIDED FOR BOTH OPTION A AND B
OPTION A
The Politics of Definition: Why African Philosophy is “Highly
Coded”
Introduction
The debate surrounding the definition of African philosophy remains
one of the most contested questions in contemporary thought. Samuel E.
Imbo (1998) argues that the definition of African philosophy is “highly
coded,” suggesting that the question of definition is never neutral but is
entangled in power relations, cultural assumptions, and intellectual
politics. To define African philosophy is therefore not only to set its
boundaries but also to reveal who has the authority to define knowledge,
whose worldview is legitimised, and whose is marginalised. This essay
discusses why Imbo believes the definition of African philosophy is
highly coded, beginning with how African philosophy is defined in his
text. It further considers the politics and assumptions embedded in such
definitions, the impact of European rationality’s claim to universality,
and whether African philosophy should continue to concern itself with
definitional politics.
Defining African Philosophy in Imbo’s Text
Imbo begins with the recognition that philosophy, broadly understood, is
the critical and systematic reflection on human existence, truth, and
values. Yet, when prefixed with “African,” the definition becomes
contested. He outlines various approaches to African philosophy,
